Movement for the Separation of Cocoa
The Movement for the Separation of Cocoa (MSC) is a Leedsian Cocoa-separationist paramilitary organisation whose aim is to remove Cocoa from Sunshine Coast in Leeds and turn it into it's own suburb outright. Members of the MSC like to call themselves Volunteers to the Safety, Well-Being, and Future of Cocoa, of ''Volunteers to Cocoa ''for short. It emerged in May 2006 after the borders of Sunshine Coast suburb were finalised. Since 2006 the MSC has conducted an armed campaign, similar in detail to that of the Provisional Irish Republican Army (IRA), who it notably supports. The infrequent attacks have been primarily in Cocoa and Sunshine Coast, but have also spilled out to other suburbs and even Home. Over the course of these attacks it has been responsible for the deaths of nearly 300 people as of 10 March 2012. The dead included around 110 members of the Leeds security forces, and about 170 civilians. The MSC itself have lost 6 members in their attacks (although many more have been arrested and imprisoned), of an estimated 500 total at the organisation. The MSC's strategy seems to be to use force to inflict a very high number of casualties to Leeds security forces, and eventually cause the government of Leeds to 'collapse' into an agreement to separate Cocoa. Until October 2011, the campaign was supported by arms and funding from Libya under Gaddafi, however, after the Libyan civil war, the National Transitional Council withdrew from funding. The MSC agreed to a brief ceasefire in February 2007, which lasted only four months until it was broken in the Hasel Market bombing on 9 June 2007. As a result of this ceasefire, several more radical members of the MSC who didn't agree to even this, decided to form a new splinter group called the Radical MSC (which disbanded in 2009 after a ceasefire). The MSC agreed to a second ceasefire on 28 December 2011, only to break it days later after shooting two civilians dead in Central Park on 7 January 2012. A third ceasefire was agreed to on 28 May 2012, after a major crackdown operation conducted jointly by the Leeds Armed Forces and Home City Police following the MSC's deadliest attacks ever the day before. The MSC are currently shutting down their main operations centres and are starting to disband following the capture of their headquarters and over half their workforce. This ceasefire ended on 7 June 2012 when a lone member was arrested when trying to blow up an ancient coal mine in Home. The organisation remains classified as a high-threat terrorist group in Leeds, in the UK, in the European Union, and in the USA. Attack list Successful attacks - Leeds *8 May 2006: three MSC militants used a car bomb to attack a branch of Gregg's bakery store in Cocoa. However, the attack was only partially successful, with only one part of the ten-stage bomb exploding, resulting in a much less damaging blast. 1 person, one of the perpretrators, was injured and no one killed. The store suffered minor damage to the frontage and the car was a total loss due to underframe damage. All three militants were caught during a raid on 20 May 2006 by Leeds City Police and sentenced to life imprisonment. *10 May 2006: a lone MSC militant opened fire using an AK47 gun along Cocoa Promenade, killing 1 civilian and a security officer and injuring 10 others before shooting and killing himself. *1 June 2006: two MSC members hid a bomb inside a post office in Cocoa and detonated it, killing 11 civilians, 5 security officers, and both perpetrators; and injuring almost 100 others. The bomb destroyed the post office and the two buildings next door, and caused at least some damage to 12 other buildings. *31 July 2006: Five MSC members stormed a meeting between Mayor Tortimer and President George at the Presidential Palace. They were evacuated as security forces entered the room. In the resulting stand-off, two security guards were shot dead before the security forces arrested all five militia. The five were sentenced to life in jail. *19 August 2006: A lone gunman opened fire on workers using an AK47 gun at an orange grove in Sunshine Coast, killing 8 workers. The gunman was never caught and is thought to have fled to Turkey. Although the MSC never claimed responsibility for this attack, the amount of evidence stating that they did carry it out is unprecedented. *20 August 2006: Two gunmen attempted to break into the Town Hall and assassinate Mayor Tortimer, but they failed to get past security. However, their other objective was completed, and that was to murder as many security officers as possible. 3 security guards were killed before they fled the building, leaving their AK47s behind. They were never caught and are believed to be living in Iran after fleeing. The MSC only claimed responsibility for this attack in December 2011 as part of a ceasefire agreement. *1 January 2007: A van bomb exploded close to Town Hall during New Year's Day celebrations, killing 75 civilians and 40 security officers. The bomb exploded in the packed plaza outside the Town Hall at around 0130. The two people who planted the bomb were later caught and sentenced to life in prison. This was the last attack by the MSC until the end of the first ceasefire. *9 June 2007: The MSC broke their first ceasefire after a disagreement with the government of Leeds by detonating a suicide bomb inside Hazel Market, Cocoa, killing the perpetrator, 40 security officers, and 22 civilians. Hazel Market was so badly damaged, it had to be completely demolished and it was not rebuilt. *1 April 2008: A small bomb explodes outside a fish and chip shop in Cocoa, injuring 19 people and killing one. The fatality was a security guard. The MSC only claimed responsibility for this attack in December 2011, as part of a ceasefire agreement. *11 June 2008: 19 people die and 60 are injured after a bomb explodes on Cocoa Promenade. The fatalities were 9 civilian, 9 security, and the perpetrator. *22 July 2008: 12 people are injured after a small bomb attack causes minor damage on houses in Sunshine Coast. *14 January 2009: A lone gunman for the MSC opened fire on workers at an orange grove in Sunshine Coast that had previously been attacked in 2006. 15 civilians were killed before the gunman shot himself dead. *27 March 2009: A small bomb explodes inside a Lloyd's TSB bank in Cocoa, injuring twelve people and causing minor damage to the insides of the bank. *8 April 2009: 3 people are killed and nine injured after a small explosion at a hotel in Clearwater. All three deaths were to security. Although it is not known for certain whether it was an MSC attack or even a bombing at all, evidence suggests that it is highly likely it was an MSC attack. *20 April 2010: 29 people are killed and a similar amount injured after a large bomb explodes at Cocoa River bus stop in Sunshine Coast. Thankfully no bus was present at the bus stop at the time. The fatalities were 20 civilian and 9 security. This was the last attack before the second ceasefire. *7 January 2012: An MSC gunman broke the second ceasefire after a disagreement with the government. They shot dead two security guards in Central Park before being apprehended by armed police, and they have been sentenced to life inprisonment. *19 February 2012: A "lone shark" MSC member sent a letter bomb in the post to a Sunshine Coast resident, killing him and injuring three others. *29 February 2012: A small bomb exploded outside a Barclay's bank in Cocoa, causing no injuries and minor damage. This bank was attacked in 2009, but at that time it was a Lloyd's TSB. *8 March 2012: A gunman killed two civilians after opening fire on tourists on Cocoa Promenade. 12 more are injured. *9 March 2012: Two palm trees on Cocoa Promenade were destroyed after two small MSC bombs exploded. Five security guards were injured. *27 May 2012: Four bombs exploded across Leeds, killing over 120 people in total and injuring as many as 800. Bombs exploded at Maida Vale post office, Cocoa; Leadmill Street, Alum Chine; Cheyne Walk, Cola Hills; and Edith Grove post office, Saltburn Heights. *28 May 2012: A lone gunman opens fire on crowds gathered outside the Presidential Palace, as the President gave a speech declaring a crackdown on the MSC. 5 people suffered minor injuries and the gunman was arrested at the scene. *28 May 2012: A small bomb explodes underneath the New Cypress Viaduct, causing minor damage. Fifteen workmen suffer minor injuries. Failed attacks *7 April 2007: Police arrested a man with a gun outside a Leeds army barracks in what is now Diplomatic City. Upon interrogation it was found that he was an MSC member and planned to open fire inside the barracks, killing army and security personnel. *23 December 2011: Police located and defused a large bomb with capability to kill "hundreds" of last-minute shoppers in Downtown Leeds. The area around the bomb remained sealed off all day. *10 March 2012: A hotel in Cocoa is evacuated after a hissing and ticking noise is heard. Police then locate a small bomb inside the hotel concourse and defuse it, before disposing it. *28 May 2012: Home City Police find a explosive device in a bin in Downtown Leeds, and remove it via safe controlled explosion. *28 May 2012: MSC militants battle with the Leeds Armed Forces and Home City Police. However, the battle goes drastically wrong, with the MSC losing over half their workforce and their headquarters. Furthermore, the battle was a major turning point to the permanent shutdown of the MSC. Attacks outside Leeds *12 May 2008: Four men were involved in the attempted bombing of Waterfall Park in Home with a manual "light and run" bomb. One of the men was tasked with lighting the bomb, but in the process of lighting it managed to defuse it, which meant that the bomb would not blow. The men recieved life imprisonment when caught leaving the park by Home City Police. *19 August 2009: 1 person was killed and nineteen injured after a bomb exploded in a park in G-Ville. This marks the only fatality caused by the MSC outside of Leeds. *14 October 2009: 27 citizens, including the two perpertrators, were injured but not killed as a second attempted bombing of Waterfall Park in Home went catastrophically wrong. Having learnt from the actions of last time, the men were armed with a timebomb which was set to 1730, when Waterfall Park is usually at its busiest. However, they were caught in traffic coming off the M87, and the bomb exploded in the van at their destination. *10 March 2012: Police intercepted a van carrying two men, including one specially trained Firearms officer of Porttown Police, on the M87 carrying an advanced bomb which detonates when thrown with a human hand after hitting the ground. After a van search, the bomb was found and defused, with the men arrested. Porttown Police have fired the firearms officer after discovering he was part of the MSC operations. *28 May 2012: Home City Police defuse a bomb found in a bin close to Home Town Hall before it can explode. *7 June 2012: One of the few remaining MSC members leaves a bomb in an ancient coal mine in Home. He was immediately arrested and the bomb defused. This marked the end of the third ceasefire